Google Bid Testing of High-Speed Wireless Internet

Google has reportedly been asking the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to test a new technology that will enable Google Fibre-like speeds to be transmitted wirelessly to our homes.

On Monday, Google bid to the FCC for permission to test this new technology in California and is said to utilize a rarely used millimeter-wave frequency that has the capability to transmit large volumes of information wirelessly; said to be far more advanced than the current models on offer. Google has not publicly stated that this advancement will be the next step in their currently offered fiber services, but the evidence provided points towards this being a possibility.

If approved, the testing will be conducted across three sites in California’s San Francisco Bay area within 5.8HGz and 24.2GHz frequencies and millimeter wave bands of 71-76GHZ and 81-86GHz – based on narrow-bandwidth transmissions.

Steven Crawley, a wireless engineer and consultant who monitors FCC filings commented “From a radio standpoint it’s the closest thing to fibre there is,” adding “You could look at it as a possible wireless extension of their Google Fiber wireless network, as a way to more economically serve homes. Put up a pole in a neighbourhood, instead of having to run fibre to each home”. It’s worth noting that millimeter-wave frequencies can send data over short distances up to several gigabits per second – meaning that even if it can’t match the exact speeds already offered by Google Fiber, it’s still a major advancement on the cable plans currently on offer.

If the testing is a success, it could prove quite the headache for current large-name cable and wireless internet providers such as AT&T and Verizon. We’ve already written in the past that they’re unhappy providing over 4mbps as ‘broadband’, so we find it almost impossible that they would be happy with gigabit speeds.